Package from Michigan

Last week I received a mailer from Paul at Wrigley Wax, a fellow Cubs fan, great contributor to the blogsophere and reader of many blogs. With the usual generosity of bloggers Paul sent me many cards from my "want list" and I am extremely happy to share this with all of you.

Paul helped out in two of my current conquests; the Topps 1970's set and the Topps All-Star Rookie cards (those with gold trophies) from the sixties and seventies.

He actually sent me nine (9) Topps 1970 cards, all of which I needed/wanted (you just have to really appreciate bloggers who actually look at ones "want lists") including the always hard to find Seattle Pilots team card # 713. I will be highlighting this card as I chronicle the entire set but as a teaser to say I really like the back of this card with the team leaders for the Pilots (alot of unknown players) along with the total team batting and pitching stats.

I dont want to share too many of these but I had to mention this Cubbie, Al Spangler # 714 (a member of the much cherished Cubs of 1969). While Paul knew I had this card, he also knows I am trying to put together a second set of the 1970 Cubs team as my first set is framed behind glass (note my first post and center piece of my collection).

Paul also sent eleven (11) different Topps All-star Rookie cards, 10 of which I needed (the only one I had was the 1972 Bill Buckner ad having an extra Buckner even though he is wearing Dodge blue is never a bad thing).
Here are a few:
1969 Gary Holman # 361: after his .294 BA in 1968 he deserved this gold trophy, however it must have gone to his head as Holman appeared in just 41 games in 1969 and called it a career.
1969 Dave Nelson # 579: a 10 year 4 team "journey man" and one-time all-star (1973 in Texas)
1969 Ken Boswell # 402: a "hated" Met ! That's all !

1975 Arnold Ray "Bake" McBride # 174: the NL ROY in 1974 did not disappoint; a career .299 BA, one time all-star (1976) and one World Series ring (1980 Phillie). Love those sideburns !

1975 Frank Tanana # 16: as Chris Berman dubbed him Frank Tanana "Daiquiri", had a 21 year career, 3X All-star (1976, 77, 78) and a 100+ mph fastball. His career numbers are impressive, 240-236 WL, 2773 strikeouts and over 4000 innings pitched.

Thank you Paul . . . for inching me closer to completing my 1970 set (currently at 675 / 720 or almost 94 %) and these Topps All-Star Rookies (some who made it !)

1970 Topps: card # 3

Darrel Chaney, primarily a backup shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds (1969 - 1975) and the Atlanta Braves (1976-1979), was a solid defensive glove man and posted a career BA of .217.

This 1970 card # 3 is his official rookie card and Chaney did earn a World Series ring with the "Big Red " Machine of 1975 as he was the functional off the bench utility guy for Dave Concepcion. Interesting to note is that Chaney had more career triples (17) than homeruns (14). That is about the most "exciting" thing I could find about Chaney.

The top row of my first page of my 1970's binder is now posted. It really amazes me how "random" Topps was after card # 1 (World Champions) and then no rhyme or reason for the next cards, until the subsets of League Leaders (#61-72), League Playoffs (#195-202), WS (305-310)and All-Star cards 450-469). In some years to follow Topps used the first few cards for an exciting subset; (ie 1974 Aaron Special card, 1976 Record Breakers etc).

My journey continues on to my second row with guys like; Tom Egan, Wes Parker, and Grant Jackson and some "humorous" backs to follow.

Happy (belated) birthday Fred Lynn

Frederic Michael ("Fred") Lynn was born in Chicago on February 3, 1952, Happy Birthday (one day late).

After a successful college career at the University of Southern California (USC), Lynn was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1973 and immediately had an impact. Impact is a mild term used to describe Lynn's rookie year, 1975, as he became the first player ever to win both the Rookie of the Year and League MVP. His 1976 card showcases his powerful swing and that gold trophy making him a Topps All Star Rookie.

His aggressiveness on the base paths (breaking up double play, stretching singles to doubles), courageous play in the outfield (crashing into the wall, diving for balls) made Lynn rather injury riddled but in 1979 actually had his "career" year looking at the statistics. In 1979, Lynn had 39 HR's, 122 RBI's, scored 116 runs, 177 hits and hit .333 - all career highs for him, yet coming in 4th in the MVP ballot that year.

Lynn was elected to nine all-star teams, earned four gold gloves and in his career had 306 HR's with a career BA of .283. A little statistical "fun"; Lynn played in exactly 1969 games (my favorite baseball year) and had 1960 hits (the year of my birth).

So Happy Birthday Mr. Lynn, you deserve to celebrate.

Jim Rice - Congratulations !

Congratulations to Jim Rice on his election to the Hall of Fame on his 15th and final time on the ballot. He deserved it !

From his electric rookie year in 1975, blasting 22 HR’s, 102 RBI’s and a .309 batting average and coming in 2nd in the ROY award to none other than teammate Fred Lynn to his career numbers of 382 HR’s, 1451 RBI’s and a career average of .298.

Rice was the American League MVP in 1978 and an eight time all-star. His election to the Topps All-Star Rookie team of 1975 and now to the Hall of Fame class of 2009 – Congratulations are in order. Rice was indeed one of the most feared batters of his day and deserves to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

As an aside, Ricky Henderson also was elected but that was a gimmie. Maybe next year will be a Cubs year with Andre Dawson or Lee Smith entering.

Billy Williams - 1962 All Star Rookie

The year is 1969 and it is my first year playing “organized” baseball. I remember my father taking me to the sporting goods store and wanting to buy me my first real baseball glove. I picked out a Rawlings Fastback with Billy Williams name stamped right there in the palm. I still have this tattered, worn, shaped perfectly yet “old” glove. I remember shaping this glove by placing a ball in it, tying it with string and storing it under my mattress at night. This glove is a constant reminder to me of my childhood, playing ball (both 12” and little league as it was called back in the day in suburban Chicago). This glove fits perfectly alongside my collection of baseball cards.

Billy Williams, one of the all time greatest Chicago Cubs, a classy professional. Billy Williams played or coached for the Chicago Cubs for 31 years. Billy Williams, the iron man of his time, played in more than 150 games for twelve consecutive seasons. Billy Williams # 26 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in August 1987. Billy Williams, second in MVP voting twice losing out to Johnny Bench – both times his offensive numbers were better yet was snubbed by voters for the Big Red Machine’s leader behind the plate. Billy Williams, Rookie of the Year, 1961. Billy Williams Hall of Famer.

The card I am featuring is Williams’ 1962 Rookie card #288, highlighted by his Topps All Star Rookie trophy. The Topps ’62 cards have a somewhat bland look to them, brown border, rather small print area for the team and player name yet has a cute touch to it by have the corner look like the page is flipping over.

The back of the cards have the nine basic stats yet only show the current year, labeled simply as “year” and career totals labeled as “life”. An interesting (at least to me) tidbit is that Billy Williams is the only position player who played on the 1969 Chicago Cubs team that ever played a game in the post season, with the Oakland Athletics in 1975.

Thank you Billy Williams for playing for the Cubs, living Cubbie Blue and being such a vital part of my childhood (as Jimmy Buffet says in a song: “I may be growing old but not up”). I think for tonight I will put this card in my glove, put a string around it and put it under my mattress.